WIBU to still show up to the hospital appointment?

[Cockapoosforlife]

I have a long term health condition which impacts my life considerably, with a sizeable impact on my vision. I have had a hospital appointment scheduled for a while to review the conditions impact on my eyes and to decide if surgery is necessary, this was to take place tomorrow morning. I have just had notice from my mother who I haven’t lived with for a while that this appointment has been cancelled.

WIBU to still attend as they did not inform me and this is the only time I can do the appointment for a long time?

For context I work in quite a high pressure field with my work scheduled far in advance (think 5 years). It also involves working across multiple countries and time zones, to reschedule would place substantial delays on projects. For the appointment to also not go ahead it poses a considerably high chance of total vision loss, as well as raising the risk of unplanned surgery.

That’s what I’m thinking of, it is a serious condition that isn’t really taken into account properly as my condition is rare and is just slotted where it fits.

Sorry to say most cancellations are due to lack of Drs / consultants. It would be a total waste of your time turning up as I’m sure the whole clinic is cancelled.

Sorry OP, but you do sound as if you think you are more important than anyone else

I’d go anyway. If you’ve arranged the time off with your employer, you’ve got nothing to lose if you don’t get seen and everything to gain if you do.

Also, if I’m understanding you correctly, you have an early appointment so calling the office first may not even be possible. I also find it’s far easier to be fobbed off on the phone than in person. Plus less of a chance as being marked as a no show if you do actually turn up.

If nothing else you can sort out this clusterfuck in person.

I’d be as mad as hell if a hospital contacted my mother instead of me. It’s sanctimonious for others to say that “mistakes happen”. I know they do, but this is actually unacceptable.

You are going to need to be the epitome of polite but firm.

Good luck! I’m hoping you’ll get seen.

ps. I understand wrt the inflexibility and general assholeishness of some employers so I empathise with your position at work. It’s not right, but sometimes there is not a lot you can do without leaving / getting made to leave and who needs that additional level of drama when you are unwell and have bills to pay.

Thank you, I will definitely attend as there isn’t anything to really lose. I am definitely not happy about the hospital contacting my mother, what if I didn’t want her to know about the appointment?

When I will definitely be trying to keep cool, be nice and to minimise wiggle room.

I too have very complicated eye conditions. Actually had an emergency appointment today because of an issue over the weekend. I've had six operations plus laser treatments in the last four years. I only see the most senior consultant since the early days. Although juniors get called in sometimes for a look see, I'm a learning tool. 😂

I'd go private if you're being passed up the chain after all this time. Once you've had the surgery you can drop back into the NHS for monitoring.

The gathering of all the junior clinicians is a sight to behold 😅. The clinic they have put me in is designed more for glaucoma and corneal issues, but I have issues with my lenses.

Which procedure are you having?

Your employer will find you AWOL post surgery. There are things you can't do for a set time.

Well it may be a once in a Career project but you seem very blasé a long losing your sight!

no job is that important and if you need an appointment you need it. If your employer disagrees about you attending I’d advise you invoice them for the cost of the operation/appointment privately, which you will undertake at a project convenient time!

I would turn up, they have not contacted YOU directly as they should have.

Yes the NHS is overstretched but messaging the wrong person is not acceptable, especially when the op is obviously a frequent attendee of the clinic, they have her contact details!

I had a bad experience a couple of years ago (tail end of covid/lockdown/no visitors) when my mum was admitted to hospital. My sister used to be her next of kin. My sister died 6years previous. ALL of my mums details have been updated (she has a plethora of conditionsand is in and out of hospital). She and I both checked I was next of kin when she was admitted. Mum took a turn for the worse, they tried to call my sister! I had a bad feeling and couldn't sleep and called the ward to be told they couldn't give me any info as I was not next of kin. My mum was in ICU on life support by this point! They wouldn't let me in to see her as I was not next of.kin! They had used details from an old paper record to get her details from instead of the computer system! Took alot of arguing and producing my sisters death cert for them to believe me! Luckily my mum pulled through, but 48hrs of unnecessary arguing! There are zero excuses for them not contacting the op!

I would certainly check if I didn't go.

I got a cancellation last year. I was surprised - it was for the next day but the appointment was for the next week, I'd thought.

Presumed my mistake, didn't go, and the next week up popped an appointment reminder.

The cancellation had been for a test I hadn't had scheduled yet

Could be your mum's text is about something else.

That will be planned and scheduled to minimise impact. My work will also all be prepared in advance beforehand with the plan to only have a couple of days off.

I will definitely be going to the hospital, it was all so last minute after the booking line had closed too so no way to check. I don’t think DM’s text could be about much else, she’s as fit as a fiddle!

Did the text message have your name on it? If not, then it might have actually been for your mother but sent in error. Sometimes the system does strange stuff (or someone hits a wrong button). Phone in the morning and check if you still have an appointment.

No name. Just the time, location, and clinic name stating the appointment was cancelled.

I’d go private. I had to do that a few times last year. I don’t have insurance but it was my health so I had to do it

you could try and turn up but as others have said, if you are not on the list I doubt they’d see you

If your mum has a landline they are more likely to contact you on that. All.my telephone appointments and reminders as well. i get left voicetexts on mine for reminders.

Ask for the post operative advice sheet ahead of the operation to assess the dos and don'ts and likely recuperating period before assuming you'll be dancing around within a couple of days.

Good luck @Cockapoosforlife I really hope you get seen tomorrow morning!

If its major surgery then it will take more than 2 days to recover ? Is it a daycase surgery ? If so, most daycases are minor procedures !

How do you know it's not a generic scam text? There's loads around at the minute. Does it mention your name or appointment time and date? Wouldn't you normally get letters about appointments?

If it just says "your appointment is cancelled, text or call to rearrange etc" then it's likely it's a scam. It will be highly unlikely that they've sent a text to the wrong person.

OP said “No name. Just the time, location, and clinic name stating the appointment was cancelled.”

"i think the travel insurance does but I would rather not risk it. If the condition did flair up abroad it would be an expensive fix complicated by other components of the condition."

If you haven't specifically disclosed the condition to the insurance company and obtained additional coverage / waiver then it is likely not going to be covered. It's typically only stable pre existing conditions that would be included, and if you are undergoing treatment / awaiting an op / scheduled for appointments it would not be considered stable.

In my work I'd be in a lot of trouble if I decided to travel without proper full coverage in place.

Your health is far more important than anything else even though it doesn’t seem that way. I see you’re attending the appointment. Maybe you will be in luck.